Tendulkar and Kambli are childhood friends [Source: @Vipintiwari952, @satisfyingcric/x.com]
Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli, two cricketing stalwarts from Mumbai had a touching reunion at Shivaji Park on Tuesday. The occasion was the unveiling of a memorial for their legendary coach, Ramakant Achrekar.
The duo hugged, shared a few words, and looked like they were back to being the childhood friends everyone remembers. It was a feel-good moment for fans who've grown up hearing about their friendship.
But let's not forget that this reunion also brought back some old memories, especially that time when Kambli seemed to take a jab at Sachin and accused him of his downfall.
The Time Kambli Hinted Sachin Could’ve Done More
Back in 2009, Vinod Kambli appeared on the reality show Sach Ka Samna. Things got spicy when he was asked if Sachin could've helped him when his career was going downhill. Kambli's reply "I think yes" sparked a massive controversy. He even said that a little more support might have saved his career.
That one statement blew up. Headlines screamed about cracks in their friendship, and fans were left divided. Kambli, however, later denied it all, saying he never meant to blame Sachin Tendulkar.
“We’ve been friends for 26 years. I’d never say anything against him,” Kambli clarified.
He also said they had a good laugh about the whole thing later. Still, the clip of him saying those words kept floating around and added fuel to the fire.
Kambli’s Health & Financial Struggles In Recent Years
Meanwhile, Kambli has been going through a very difficult time in recent years. Earlier this year, a video of him looking disoriented and struggling to walk went viral. It broke fans' hearts. Many urged Tendulkar to step forward and help his old friend.
It's no secret that Kambli has had health problems. In 2013, he suffered a heart attack while driving in Mumbai. The year before, he had an angioplasty for blocked arteries. On top of that, financial struggles have made things even harder for the once-stylish cricketer.